Parting The Mist
by gemsofformenos
Summary: Gift 5 of my personal gifting season I have started to give something back to authors, who have inspired my work the most. Without them I wouldn't write the way I do. - It has been a hard and difficult chase for Azula, but she has found her mother, but it isn't the way she has hoped for. She has hoped to free herself from Ozai, but now Azula kneels at a grave...


**Hello everybody. The fifths gift is for an author, who has made great impression on me. She has made and awesome debut in my opinion and I am so excited to read more of her stories.**

**For 100NaturalBacon**

**We got in closer contact over my story 'Storm In Your Head' and it was some time after this one, when you've dared the step to publish your own first story and I'm still blown away how talented you are in my opinion. Very balanced and detailed, awesome plot, a sharp eye on the pace and atmosphere and just so so good at writing the characters and letting Azula shine by giving her real challenges to deal with. Beside the wonderful talks about stories it is this awesome crossover you're writing at, which is an inspiration for my own work and I want to say thank you for it with this little one here. I hope to read so much more from you in the future. It would be a great pleasure for me. My choice for you fell on a promised epilogue for 'A Fate Of Joo Dee'. It has been so motivating for me to have you at my side at this one and I was so happy, that I was able to surprise you with the twist in this one, that I want to gift this little one here to you.**

* * *

**Parting The Mist**

The world around her was gray. Gray and cold. Azula faintly noticed her legs giving away under her body and she fell on her knees, ignoring the shocked shouts from Mai and TyLee at her side. The vision of the Princess was blurry and only the gray and cold stone in front of her seemed to maintain its shape. In fact the object even seem to grow bigger, sucking away any color and warmth which was around it.

Azula felt her lip quivering. This wasn't what she had expected. Once she had expected triumph and satisfaction, maybe some rage and loathing, but now all she felt was a numbing pain, a torturing pressure nothing in the world would ever be able to ease. This ache finally choked out her first sob, which was quickly drifting into a mourning cry.

The Princess didn't felt the soothing arms from TyLee around her, she didn't hear the nervous voice of Suki to watch her cover. Azula's hands were resting on the cold stone in front of her, brushing gently and desperately over the edges and carving on it.

It was the end of the rope, the end of her search and all her hopes to find her again. It was the end of this naive idea, that her father would loose in the end. All the risks, all the sleepless nights and elaborated plans for nothing.

More sobs wrecked Azula, while TyLee and even Mai were at her side, crying silently as well as they faced the inscription on the stone of this little village graveyard.

_Here lies Joo Dee_

_May the spirits bring her the peace, which life has denied her._

Azula didn't care, that her Kyoshi make up was smearing. Should they try to arrest her, it wouldn't matter anymore. All the months of careful searching, of trying to find hints and truths... it has been futile.

* * *

Zuko has started this mission carefully. The siblings have known, that Ursa's fate would be able to provoke a new war. The Earthkingdom, especially the nobles feared the grave impact of Long Feng's decision to turn the former Fire Lady into a Joo Dee, so the Fire Lord had acted most carefully in order to create trust and to get desperately needed information. He had swallowed his rage, still he had faced a wall of silence and denial and it has taken months until the officials have started to believe, that the new Fire Lord wouldn't use these information to start a new war. Discretion was the key and it opened the archives.

Azula was a close consultant in this case and only the Avatar was finally able to convince the involved persons to trust Zuko, still the Princess felt pressed to the side line. The Earthkingdom wouldn't guarantee for her safety, which was the hint, that she might fear to get arrested as soon as she would set a foot on their territory again. Zuko was working on this issue as well and it was sure, that the official wouldn't be able to maintain their resistance forever, due to the crime they want to kept hidden from public eyes to avoid a new war, but they did everything they could to stretch the process.

Azula's restlessness and misery was growing, with every week, which has passed, with the exhausting trips for Zuko between Caldera City and Ba Sing Se. It was finally Suki and Aang, who came up with the idea to use an old scheme to follow some hints, Zuko's and Aang's efforts have dug out. Azula and Mai would travel incognito to the Earthkingdom. As Kyoshi Warriors.

The plan was perfect, all the people saw was the make up and the uniform. The Princess adapted the fighting style easily and so Suki, Mai, TyLee and Azula could start their search together with Aang and Katara, while Zuko was providing them with information from Ba Sing Se and the old notes from the Dai Li.

* * *

Her tears were still running strong and it seemed, that some villagers started to take notice of this behavior, but she didn't care. Azula's hands gripped into the soil of the grave like it could bring back Ursa. They had finally found her track, but it hasn't lead them to her mother. Only to a grave.

She would never get the chance to get answers.

She would never get the chance to ask her, if she had missed her.

She would never find out, if she was proud of her change.

Ozai might have lost the war for the world, but he has won this battle. And this battle has been Azula's war.

A shocked shout let Azula's head jolting up and her crying stopped instantly. Wouldn't she wear make up, everyone would have seen, that the color was draining from her face. The Princess noticed, that Aang, Katara and the others were looking down the graveyard in confusion, but in Mai and TyLee's case with baffled shock and disbelief. Azula trembled, as she started to turn towards the direction, which the others were looking... and her heart skipped a beat.

The source of the shout was a woman, which was standing beside a man at the entrance of the graveyard. The woman was obviously shaking, the man at her side was aiding her stand. He was also holding a baby in his arms and looked worried and concerned at the woman, probably his wife. But there was something in the face of this woman and in her voice. This shout had sounded... familiar. But it couldn't be. She was kneeling at her grave...

"...Azula...?"

Sharp breaths were to be heard around the Princess and she noticed, that she has done the same. The woman had tended her head aside in disbelief and was now shaking it a bit, like she was shaking off a confusion or illusion. Azula recognized how golden piercing orbs were suddenly focused on her. She noticed the face of the woman change as shock and relief rushed over her. A warming fire was filling the woman's eyes as she was still leaning on her husband in order to prevent herself from stumbling. Azula felt her breath quickened and she failed twice to articulate a sound, but finally a shaky question escaped her lips, more whispered than clearly spoken.

"Urs... Moth... Mom...?"

This one word pulled a switch at the woman. She burst out in tears and started to run. The next thing Azula felt was her mothers arms wrapped around her. Ursa has fallen down on her knees at Azula's side, pressing her child at her chest and kissing her daughters face over and over again, while hot tears were streaming down her cheeks.

"I remember... Azula, I remember...I thought it would never come back, but you... you're here, aren't you? This isn't a trick. You're here. My Azula is here."

The rest got drown in tears while Ursa buried her face in the crook of her daughters neck. Azula's mind was blank, but she faintly noticed between her own tears, that she was clawing herself in her mother's robe.

"We... searched for you. I thought you..."

She felt Ursa's arms tighten around her.

"I'm sorry Azula. I should have fought for you. I have let you down, abandoned you at this monster. I was... I..."

She wanted to turn away in shame, but Azula didn't let her go. The Princess faced the shaken look of her mother with teary eyes. A little accusation was in the Firebender's eyes, but also honesty.

"I know. But I am here now. And so you are."

Ursa kissed Azula again and the Princess leaned against Ursa, who rubbed over her daughters back.

"We have much to catch up, Azula..."

Her voice got shaky and worried.

"In case you want to give us a chance to do so."

Azula released a teary laughter and gave Ursa a mischievous smile.

"I didn't have risk to get arrested to cry at a grave."

Ursa squeezed her again.

"Then we should better find a quieter place for it. I know a friend, who would be happy to get to know you and your friends."

It was now, that Azula started to notice the staring persons, who had come to the graveyard to catch a look at the Avatar and his Kyoshi warrior. She also saw the teary looks on her friends faces. Even Suki and Katara had tears in their eyes. Ursa stood up with shaky legs just like Azula, but Mai and TyLee helped them to get up. Ursa gave both of them a long hug and nodded a greeting to Aang and the others. The Avatar resisted the urge to bow in order to keep up the last bit of the cover.

The man with the baby got closer now and greeted the group with shy nods. The nervousness was written in his face as he reached Azula. Ursa gave him a smile and took the baby out of his arms and placed the little child in her daughters arms. Azula stiffened for a moment, but finally relaxed, as she felt Ursa's arm around her shoulder. Her mother nodded at the man.

"This is my new husband, Chan-woo and this little girl in your arms is your sister."

The baby opened her eyes and it elicited Azula a teary gasp, as she watched into the scanning eyes of the child. The baby smiled at her and started to coo as Azula dared to stroke over the girl's cheek.

"Say hello to Kiyi."

Azula shared a surprised look with Ursa and Chan-woo, but the strong grip of Kiyi at her finger made her face melt into a touched smile and she gave her sister a kiss on her forehead."

"Hello Kiyi. I'm your big sister."

The baby observed Azula with smart and attentive eyes. It brought a smirk to Azula's lips and she raised her head to take a look around to her friends.

"I think I like this one here."

The warm laughter of everyone were catching and Azula couldn't suppress her own. Moments ago she had been down in her desperation, but right now she felt triumph. Triumph that she has found a chance. She smiled at her mother, who was in Chan-woo's arms. Ursa's voice was filled with pride as she talked to Azula with a smile.

"I'm proud of you, Azula. I'm so proud of you."

Azula's heart was about to make somersaults. Ozai might have won a battle years ago,but Azula would win the war. She was sure about that.


End file.
